THE INFORMATION BROKER EPA Headquarters Library (PM 211 A) WSM Room 2904 382 5922 HIGHLIGHTS by Mary Hoffman Head Librarian/Coordinator • AMERICAN STATISTICAL ASSOCIATION/ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY CONFERENCE PROCEEDINGS The Proceedings from the Third ASA/EPA Conference on the Interpretation of Environmental Data are now available at the Headquarters Library. The papers present different aspects of environmental studies and provide scientists with information on statistical analyses and data collection. Copies can also be obtained from Dorothy Wellington, Office of Policy, Planning and Evaluation, Statistical Policy Branch at 382-2680. • NEW MANAGEMENT VIDEOS The Library has just received several new management videotapes (VHS format). The new additions to the collection include: -- Abilene Paradox (based on text by Jerry Harvey) -- The Leadership Alliance (Tom Peters) -- The Massey Triad (Morris Massey) - Meetings, Bloody Meetings and More Bloody Meetings (John Cleese) -- Where There's A Will (Video Arts) These are available on overnight loan. Contact Anne Twitchell at 382-5922 to borrow the videos and to obtain a copy of our list of videos. • BIBLIOGRAPHY ON MANAGEMENT TRANSITION The Library staff has compiled a bibliography entitled "Management Transition". This is one in a series of quarterly bibliographies on specific management topics. The bibliography contains citations of books and journal articles on changeovers in government and corporate organizations. Contact Anne Twitchell in the Headquarters Library at 382-5922 to obtain copies of the bibliography. • Look for the CENTERFOLD on Global Warming, which is included on the middle pages of this issue. November/December 1988 ------- novemb: WHAT'S AVAILABLE IN THE HEADQUARTERS LIBRARY As part of our ongoing effort to collect books and journals relevant to EPA staff needs, the following is a list of our latest acquisitions. We have organized it by program area for your convenience. AIR & RADIATION Barth, H. Reversibility of Acidification. New York, NY : Elsevier Applied Science, 1987. QH545.A17 R48 MacKerron, Conrad. "EPA Calls for a Ban on CFC Use." Chemical Week. Vol. 143, No. 14, October 5, 1988. p. 44. MacKenzie, James J. Ill Winds; Airborne Pollution's Toll on Trees and Crops. Washington, DC : World Resources Institute, Center for Policy Research, 1988. TD883.M23 Mellow, Craig. "How to Survive the Greenhouse Effect." Best of Business Quarterly. Vol. 10, No. 3, Fall 1988. pp. 79-85. Owen, Carol A. National Air Toxics Information Clearinghouse. Research Triangle Park, NC : Office of Air Quality Planning & Standards, USEPA, 1986. EPAX 8712-0104 "Radon: The Enemy Within." The Economist. Vol. 3 08, No. 7569, September 24, 1988. pp. 27-28. opence, J.W. et al. Theoretical Damage Function for the Effects of Acid Deposition on Galvanized Steel Structures. Research Triangle Park, NC : Atmospheric Sciences Research Laboratory, USEPA, September 1988. (EPA/600/S3-88/027, $14.95) PB 88-234 059/AS Standfield, Rochelle. "For Acid Rain, Wait Till Next Year'" National Journal. Vol. 20, No. 42, October 15, 1988. p. 2606. Topping, John C. Jr. Clean Air Handbook. Rockville, MD : Government Institutes, Inc., 1987. KF3812.Z9 T66 White, James C. Acid Rain: The Relationship Between Sources and Receptors: Proceedings of a Conference. New York, NY : Elsevier, 1988. TD196.A25 A34 2 ------- NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 1988 WATER Andersson, Tommy. Sublethal Physiological Effects of Pulp and Paper Mill Effluents on Fish: A Literature Review. Solna, Sweden : National Swedish Environmental Protection Board, 1988. PB88- 157540 Billings, Clayton H. "Groundwater Radon Occurrence." Public Works. Vol. 119, No. 11, October 1988. pp. 100-106. Burris, Bruce E.; Gumerman, Robert C. Safe Drinking Water Act Cost Impacts on Selected Water Systems. Cincinnati, OH : Water Engineering Research Laboratory, Office of Research & Development, USEPA, 1987. HD9718.5.W36 B87 Churchill, Pete; Patrick, Ruth. National Water Conference (3rd: 1987; Philadelphia. PA1 Ground Water Contamination: Sources. Effects and Options to Deal with the Problem. Philadelphia, PA : Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, 1987. TD201.A2 Clark, Robert M. et al. "Removing Organic Contaminants from Groundwater: A Cost and Performance Evaluation." Environmental Science & Technology. Vol. 22, No. 10, October 1988. pp. 1126- 1129. Gray, Jonathan P. "Computer Package Helps City Manage Sewer Systems." Public Works. Vol. 119, No. 11, October 1988. pp. 52-54. Hoitink, H.A.J.; Schmitthenner, F. Effects of Composed Municipal Sludge on Soilborn Plant Pathogens. Cincinnati, OH : Water Engineering Research Laboratory, Office of Research & Development, USEPA, August 1988. (EPA/600/S2-88/024, $14.95) PB 88-195 714/AS Joerns, John; Mariarty, William B. "The Amazing Economics of Wastewater Reuse." Public Works. Vol. 119, No. 11, October 1988. pp. 78-79. Marine Minerals: Exploring Our New Ocean Frontier. Washington, DC : U.S. Congress, Office of Technology Assessment. TN264.M39 1987 The Nation's Public Works: Report on Wastewater Management. Washington, DC : Apogee Research, Inc., 1987. TD429.N36 NPDES Compliance Inspection Manual. Washington, DC : Office of Water, Office of Water Enforcement and Permits, USEPA, 1988. EPAX 0015 3 ------- NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 1988 Satchell, Michael. "Where Have All the Ducks Gone?" [A curtailed hunting season will help, but the real solution is to halt destruction of wetlands]. U.S. News & World Report. Vol. 105, No. 16, October 1988. p. 72. Selection Criteria for Mathematical Models Used in Exposure Assessments; Ground-Water Models. Washington, DC : Exposure Assessment Group, Office of Health & Environmental Assessment, 1988. EPAX 8810-0025 Simonin, Howard A. "Neutralization of Acidic Waters." Environmental Science & Technology. Vol. 22, No. 10, October 1988. pp. 1143-1145. Titus, James G. et al. Greenhouse Effect. Sea Level Rise, and Coastal Wetlands. Washington, DC : USEPA, 1988. EPAX 8809-0028 Weaver, William J. "Stormwater Management in an Urbanized Area." Public Works. Vol. 119, No. 11, October 1988. pp. 60-62. HAZARDOUS & SOLID WASTE Note: The Library has a special collection and database to improve access to Hazardous Waste Information. For more information, contact Monique Currie or Beth Ann Kyle, 382-5922. Are We Cleaning Up?: 10 Superfund Case Studies: A Special Report cf OTA's Assessment on Superfund Implementation. Washington, DC : U.S. Congress, Office of Technology Assessment, USEPA, 1988. HW TD811.5.A73 Cheremisinoff, Paul N. Environmental Field Sampling Manual. Northbrook, IL : Pudvan Publishing Co., 1987. HW TD897.5.C425 Cleanup of Releases from Petroleum USTs: Selected Technologies. Washington, DC : Office of Underground Storage Tanks, USEPA, 1988. HW EPAX 8810-0006 Darilek, Glenn T.; Parra, Jeorge O. The Electrical Leak Location Method for Geomembrane Liners. Cincinnati, OH : Hazardous Waste Engineering Research Laboratory, USEPA, September 1988. (EPA/600/S2-88/035, $19.95) PB 88-220 496/AS Davis, Charles E.; Lester, James P. Dimensions of Hazardous Waste Politics and Policy. New York, NY : Greenwood Press, 1988. Hfi HC110.E5D56 4 ------- NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 1988 Dumphy, Joseph F. "Plastics Recycling Set for Takeoff." Chemical Week. Vol. 143, No. 14, October 5, 1988. pp. 16-17. EPA's Risk Assessment Methodology for Municipal Incinerator Emissions; Kev Findings and Conclusions. Washington, DC : Science Advisory Board, USEPA, 1987. HW EPAX 8809-0034 Hammer, Joshua. "The Big Haul in Toxic Waste." Newsweek. October 3, 1988. pp. 38-39. Hershkowitz, Alien. Garbage Management in Japan; Leading the Wav. New York, NY : INFORM, 1987. HW TD789.J3H47 Kubetin, W. Randy. Toxic Chemical Emissions; A Compliance Guide to the Community Rioht-to-Know Act. Washington, DC : Bureau of National Affairs, 1988. HW KF3958.K8 Rathje, W.L. et al. "Over 50 Percent of Refuse Can be Recycled, Phoenix Study Reports." Public Works. Vol. 119, No. 11, October 1988. pp. 73-108, 109. Recommended Fire Protection Practice for Facilities Handling Radioactive Materials. Quincy, MA : National Fire Protection Association, 1986. HW TH9446.R63 Report on the Review of the "RCRA Ground-Water Monitoring Technical Enforcement Guidance Document." Washington, DC : USEPA, 1986. HW EPAX 8809-0033 Rice, Steven C. "Minimizing Waste from R&D Activities." Chemical Engineering. Vol. 95, No. 15, October 24, 1988. pp. 85-88. Right Train. Wrong Track: Failed Leadership in the Superfund Cleanup Program. Washington, DC : Environmental Defense Fund, 1988. HW KF3945.R64 ROD Annual Report FY '87. Washington, DC : Hazardous Waste Site Control Division, USEPA, 1987. HW EPAX 8810-0020 Schmeidler, Emilie. Getting to Mavbe; Decisions on the Road to Negotiation in Hazardous Waste Facility Siting. New Brunswick, NJ : Environmental Communication Research Program, Rutgers University, 1988. HW TD811.5.S35 state Hazardous Waste Regulations Information. Kutztown, PA : Transportation Skills Program, 1985. HW KF3945.Z95S797 5 ------- NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 1988 PESTICIDES & TOXIC SUBSTANCES Consolidated List of Products Whose Consumption and/or Sale Have Been Banned..Withdrawn. Severely Restricted or Not Approved bv Governments. New York, NY : United Nations Publication, 1987. HC79.C63 C64 Frei, R.W.; Albaigbes, J. Air and Water Analysis: New Techniques and Data. New York, NY : Gordon and Breach Science Publishers, 1986. TD193.A39 Honeycutt, Richard C. Regulation of Pesticides; Science. Law and the Media. Rockville, MD : Government Institutes, 1988. SB970.4.U5 R43 Hunn, Joseph B. Field Assessment of the Effects of Contaminants on Fishes. Washington, DC : Fish & Wildlife Services, U.S. Department of the Interior, 1988. SH174.H86 Kotuby-Amacher, J.: Gambrell R.P. Factors Affecting Trace Metal Mobility in Subsurface Soils. Ada, OK : Robert S. Kerr Environmental Research Laboratory, USEPA, August 1988. (EPA/600/S2-88/036, $19.95) PB 88-224 829/AS Laine, Daren L. ; Miklas, Michael P. et at. Loading Point Puncturabilitv Analysis of Geosynthetic Liner Materials. Cincinnati, OH : Hazardous Waste Engineering Research Laboratory, USEPA, August 1988. (EPA/600/S2-88/040, $19.95) PB 88-235 544/AS Long, Janice. "Proposed EPA Benzene Rules Get Mixed Response." Chemical & Engineering News. Vol. 66, No. 39, September 26, 1988. p. 21. McKenna, Conner & Cuneo. TSCA Handbook. Rockville, MD : Government Institutes, 1987. EPAX 8810-0037 The Nature and Extent of Lead Poisoning in Children in the United States. Atlanta, GA : U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, 1988. RA1231.L4 N46 Pesticide Resistance: Strategies and Tactics for Management. Washington, DC : National Academy Press, 1986. SB957.P48 Reproductive Health Hazards in the Workplace. Washington, DC : U.S. Government Printing Office, 1985. RA1224.2.R47 6 ------- NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 1988 Toxic Substances Control Act Inspection Manual. Rockville, MD : Government Institutes, 1982. EPAX 8810-0030 The Toxicology Forum: 1988 Annual Winter Meeting. Washington, DC : The Toxicology Forum, 1988. RA1196.T69 MANAGEMENT Note: The Library has a special collection of Management books, journals, audiotapes and videotapes. For more information, contact Anne Twitchell, 382-5922. Adams, John D. et al. "People in Transition." Training & Development Journal. Vol. 42, No. 10, October 1988. pp. 61-63. Carnevale, A.P. et al. "Workplace Basics: The Skills Employers Want." Training & Development Journal. Vol. 42, No. 10, October 1988. pp. 22-30. A Case of Working Smarter. Not Harder, [videorecording]. Del Mar, CA : CRM/McGraw-Hill Films, 1982. HD50.C28 Carpenter, Betsy. "Will Machines Ever Think?: Hard Realities Snag the Quest for Artificial Intelligence." U.S. News & World Report. Vol. 105, No. 19, October 17, 1988. pp. 64-65. Chusmir, Leonard H. et al. "Stress and the Woman Manager." Training & Development Journal. Vol. 42, No. 10, October 1988. pp. 66-70. Computers: Crimes. Clues and Controls: Management Guide. Washington, DC : Prevention Committee, President's Council on Integrity and Efficiency, U.S. Government Printing Office, 1986. HV6773.C65 C652 Harlow, Kirk C. et al. "Integration of Cost-Benefit and Financial Analysis in Project Evaluation." Public Administration Review. Vol. 48, No. 5, September/October 1988. pp. 918-928. How to solve Problems, [videorecording] Del Mar, CA : McGraw- Hill Training Systems, 1986. HD30.29.H68 Leadership. fit-vie or Circumstance? [videorecording] Del Mar, CA : CRM/McGraw-Hill, 1975. HD57.7.L4 Management of the United States Government: Fiscal Year 1989. Washington, DC : Exeoutive Office of the President, U.S. Government Printing Office, 1989. HJ2051.A5982 7 ------- FOCUS ON — Global Warming ¦ What is the Greenhouse Effect and how does it contribute to Global Warming? The Greenhouse Effect occurs when visible light from the sun passes through the atmosphere to the earth's surface and radiates heat. Some of this heat radiates back into space while the rest is trapped and absorbed by carbon dioxide and other gases in the atmosphere, thus warming the earth. This global warming is necessary for the existence of life on earth. Without it, temperatures would be so low that the earth would be covered with ice. Problems may arise, when the concentration of these gases increases and more energy is absorbed, thus trapping additional heat and causing the temperature of the earth to rise. • What evidence is there that the earth Is getting warmer? Average worldwide temperatures in the 1980s are the highest recorded. The National Academy of Sciences has predicted a potential increase in worldwide temperatures of between 1.5 and 4.5 degrees C. if the concentration of carbon dioxide doubles. Five billion tons of carbon emissions per year are being produced from the burning of fossil fuels. Carbon concentrations in the atmosphere have been increasing by more than one part per million annually during the past decade. • What are the principal gases causing the problem? • Carbon dioxide is considered to be the chief contributor to global warming. It is released Into the atmosphere through the burning of fossil fuels. A contributing factor is the clearing of forests, which has reduced the filtering capacity of this vegetation and the amount of carbon dioxide formerly stored by plants and soils. • Chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) are artificially generated gases that are used as plastic foam blowing agents (e.g. styrofoam cups), refrigerants, solvents and aerosol propellants and probably did not exist in the atmosphere before this century. • Methane generated from agricultural activities and Nitrous Oxide from fertilizers and the burning of biomass and fossil fuels are two of the additional gases that contribute to global warming. • What are the potential effects of Global Warming? In October the EPA released a draft report to Congress entitled Iha Potential Effects of Global Climate Change on the United Stares. This is first of two studies on the Greenhouse Effect reo"<"tecl by Congress, in the wake of predictions by the Nation' Academy of Sciences estimating that a doubling of car1""' dioxide concentrations over preindustrial levels would cai|P* yobal temperatures to rise 1.5 to 4.5°C. These estimates wer^ confirmed by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the International Council of Scientific Unions (ICSU). The report is slated to undergo review by EPA's Science Advisory Board, followed by formal interagency review before submission to Congress early next year. It highlights a broad spectrum of problems that may result from global warming. the potential effects of global warming cited in the report are: • Loss of most coastal wetlands due to sea level rise and the considerable expense of protecting developed coastlines. • Reduction in forest ranges and changes in their composition. • Shifts of agriculture in a northward and southward direction. • Increased water demand may pose problems for some water resource systems. • Potential increase in tropospheric ozone levels. • Increased demand for electricity, particularly in southern regions, because of increased use of air conditioning. • Decline in biological diversity and an increase in the extinction of plant and animal species. • What can be done to control Global Warming? A second EPA study will deal with this topic. Irving M. Mintzer (A Matter of Degrees: The Potential for Controlling the Greenhouse Effect, World Research Institute, 1987) stated that "A high efficiency, low emissions scenario...could give societies an additional thirty to sixty years to adapt to the unavoidable aspects of any given level of climate change and to find new technologies and other means to protect Earth's atmosphere from even more far-reaching changes." Jay D. Hair, President of the National Wildlife Federation has advocated the following minimal actions as essential: • Development of a national energy policy that curtails reliance on fossil fuels. • Reduction in the rate of worldwide deforestation and acceleration of the rate of reforestation. • Elimination of all non-essential uses of CFCs. • Continuation of research and international cooperative efforts. • What kinds of activities are currently underway to deal with the Global Warming problem? - Major research programs are being developed by EPA, NASA, NOAA and NSF, as well as some other agencies. - An intergovernmental panel on climate change formed by UNEP/WMO to consider science and policy responses was scheduled to meet in mid-November. - Congressional interest, fueled by increased constituent awareness of the problem, resulted in the proposal of over a dozen bills relating to global warming during the last session. They ranged from the proposal of Senator Tim Wirth of Colorado whose bill calls for research and energy saving requirements (tighter fuel standards on cars, energy efficiency ratings for the benefit of home buyers and longer-lived light bulbs) to Vermont's Senator Robert Stafford's bill, which calls for stringent limits on industrial emissions. - The Tropical Forestry Action Plan is a major international effort, sponsored jointly by FAO, the World Bank, UNEP, and the World Resources Institute, to reverse deforestation, which is occurring at the rate of 3000 acres an hour. Already, almost half of the world's forests have disappeared in just this century. - The Mpntreal Protocol, signed by 31 nations, requires developed nations to freeze consumption of CFCs at 1986 levels by mid-1990 and to half usage by 1999. Lee Thomas, EPA Administrator, has asked "all nations to ratify the Montreal Protocol and then move toward a complete phaseout of ozone depleting chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and halons." FURTHER READING Changing Climate. Washington DC: National Academy Press, 1963. QC981.8 .C5C5, Hair, Jay D. "We Must Hait Global Warming," National Wildlife. Vbl. 26, No. 5, August-September 1968, p. 26. Mintzer, Irving M. A Matter of Degrees: The Potential for Controlling the Greenhouse Effect. V\torld Resources Institute, Research Report #5, April 1987.60pp. The Potential Effects of Global Climate Change on the United States. Executive Summary. (Draft Report to Congress.) Edited by Joel 9. Smith and Dennis A. Tirpak. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Policy, Planning, and Evaluation, Office of Research and Development, October 1988. Rind, Dr. David. The Greenhouse Effect: An Explanation." ER* Journal. Vbl. 12, No. 10, December 1966. pp. 12-14. "Shake or Bake* New Republic. Vol 199. No. 11/12, September 12 & 19,1988. pp.5-9. Speth, James Gustave. "Saving the Tropical Forests: A Beginning." EPA Journal. \fol. 13, No. 7, September 1987. pp, 13-14. Titus, James G. "Rising Sea levels: The Impact They Pose." ERA Journal. \fol. 12, No. 10, December 1986. pp. 17-20. Wsodwell, George M. 'Global Warming and What W» Can Do About It." Amicus Journal. Vbl. 8, No. 2, Fall 1986. pp. 8-12. Prepared with the assistance of the Strategic Studies Branch, Office of Policy, Planning & Evaluation (OPPE). The i -.ormatlon Broker - November /December 1988 FOCUS ON - Global Warming ------- NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 1988 Murk, Peter J. et al. "A Practical Guide to Program Planning." Training & Development Journal. Vol. 42, No. 10, October 1988. pp. 45-47. Nicholls, John. "Eight Leadership Types and the Transforming Autocrat: As Derived from Burns' Basic Criteria." Journal of General Management. Vol. 13, No. 4, Summer 1988. pp. 45-56. GENERAL Biotechnology; Managing the Risks of Field Testing Genetically Engineered Organisms. Washington, DC : U.S. General Accounting Office, 1988. TP248.2.U54 Bruno, Leonard C. The Tradition of Science: Landmarks of Western Science in the Collections of the Library of Congress. Washington, DC : U.S. Government Printing Office, 1987. Q125.B898T Cleveland, Harlan. "In the International System, What Works and Why? [Not all systems of international cooperation are beset by arms races, drug traffic or military takeovers... some work ie: law of the sea; protection of ozone shield....] Public Management. Vol. 70, No. 9, September 1988. pp.. 16-17. Communicator's Sourcebook: Tips ^nd Tolls for Speeches. Interviews, and Press Conferences. Washington, DC : U.S. General Services Administration, 1987. PN4121.C73 Draggan, John J. et al. Preserving Ecological Systems: The Agenda for Long-Term Research and Development. New York, NY : Praeger, 1987. QH545.A1 P933 Dror, Israel. "Forecasting Technologies Within Their Socioeconomic Framework." Technological Forecasting and Social Change. Vol. 34, No. 1, August 1988. pp. 69-80. Einerson, Julie H. et al. "A Comparison of Laboratory Performances." [How to check the reliability of analytical environmental services]. Environmental Science & Technology. Vol. 22, No. 10, October 1988. pp. 1121-1125. "The Environmental Presidents." The Economist. Vol. 309, No. 75, October 8, 1988. p. 32. "Ethical Dilemmas in Hazard Management: An Invited Comment." Public Management. Vol. 70, No. 9, September 1988. pp. 19-20. 10 ------- NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 1988 Glaze, W.H. "A Bureau of Environmental Statistics." Environmental Science & Technology. Vol. 22, No. 10, October 1988. pp. 1115. Good Laboratory Practices Compliance Inspection Manual: For Laboratories Conducting Health Effects Studies. Rockville, MD : Governments Institutes, 1985. EPAX 8810-0033 Government Auditing Standards: Standards for Audit of Governmental Organizations. Programs. Activities, and Functions. Washington, DC : U.S. Government Printing Office, 1988. HJ9801- .A1638 Johnston, William B. Workforce 2000: Work and Workers for the 21st Century. Indianapolis, IN : Hudson Institute, 1987. HD8072.5.J64 Lang, Laura. "GIS System Expanding Country Capabilities.11 Public Works. Vol. 119, No. 11, October 1988. pp. 55-57. * Monastersky, R. "Shrinking Ice May Mean Warmer Earth." Science News. Vol. 134, No. 15, October 8, 1988. p. 134. Pitman, Frank et al. "Ethanol as Fuel Takes a Hit." Chemical Week. Vol. 143, No. 14, October 5, 1988. p. 20. Research In Process: FY 1988. Washington, DC : Office of Health and Environmental Research, USEPA, 1988. RA565.A1 U5 Rogers, Michael. "Here Comes Hypermedia." Newsweek. October 3, 1988. pp. 44-45. Roth, Evan. "Timber." [Fate of 191 million acres are in hands of U.S. Forest Service]. Government Executive. Vol. 20, No- 10, October 1988. pp. 40-49. Short, Nicholas M. Geomorphology from Space: A Global Overview of Regional Landforms. Washington, DC : U.S. Government Printing Office, 1986. GB400.42.R4G46 Space-Based Remote Sensing of the Earth. Washington, DC : U.S. Government Printing Office, 1987. G70.4.S623 "Through a Glass Lightly." [Aerogels - a transparent material 100 times more insulating than glass...almost as light as air...can detect radiation...can substitute for asbestos...what is their future?]. The Economist.. Vol. 309, No. 75, October 8, 1988. pp. 85-86. 11 ------- NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 1988 Trinkaus, John et al. "The VDTs Are Here: Health Hazard Issue and All." Journal of Systems Management. Vol. 39, No. 10, October 1988. pp. 6-13. "The Vanishing Jungle: Ecologists Make Friends with Economists.11 [Right sort of economic incentives...can do more to protect environment than any amount of moralizing]. The Economist. Vol. 309, No. 7572, October 15, 1988. pp. 25-28. WHAT'S OPT THERE The books listed here are not in the EPA Headquarters forest area of nearly half in this century.Library, but should be available in bookstores or at your local public library. Miller, Charles. A. Jefferson and Nature: An Interpretation. Baltimore, MD : Johns Hopkins, 1988. 320pp. $29.50. The author employs Jefferson's concept of nature - his all-purpose explanation for American geography, life, and society - as a connecting thread in an evaluation of his life and thought. Park, Chris C. Acid Rain: Rhetoric and Reality. New York : Methuen, 1988. 272pp. $42.50. Soon after the consequences of acid rain became known, battle lines were drawn which divided much of the scientific world and its allies. Governments were buffeted back and forth between the two blocks of protagonists. The author, the principal of Furness College, addresses these still-raging political and economic battles. Stever, James A. The End of Public Administration: Problems of the Profession in the Past - Progressive Era. Ardsley-on-Hudson, NY : Transnational Publishers, 1987. 188pp. $37.50. The author does not argue for the end of public administration, but discusses the "distinct possibility" of an end to public administration if there is a failure to put its institutional and intellectual house in order. Woolston, Donald C; Robinson, Patricia A. and Kutzbach, Gisela. Effective Writing Strategies for Engineers and Scientists. St. Chelsea, MI : Lewis Publishers, 1988. 176pp. $24.95. The decision-making process through which the writer turns science into prose is emphasized in this book. It also offers a modular approach to writing to help overcome "the perfect draft" fear. 12 ------- NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 1988 QUESTION OF THE MONTH QUESTION: How was the Radon problem brought to the attention of EPA? ANSWER: Stanley Watras, an engineer at a nuclear power plant in Pennsylvania, was setting off radiation detectors when he left work, even on days when he hadn't been near any radioactive materials. Watras became suspicious that he was picking up radioactivity somewhere other than the plant. Tests at his home in December 1984 revealed radiation levels 700 times higher than were considered safe. The radioactivity in the Watras house was due to naturally occurring radon gas leaking up from the ground into the house. Radon can be released from geological formations of granite, shale, phosphate, and uranium-bearing rock and soil. Ironically, modern energy efficient houses and buildings that are well insulated have increased danger from radon. These buildings have less air exchanged with the outside, ambient air, and therefore radon can build up to a high level. Since the discovery of high radon levels in the Watras house EPA has done extensive research into the hazards that radon may pose. EPA has estimated that as many as 8 million homes in the United States may have unsafe levels of radon in the air. Estimates of deaths due to radon exposure range from 5,000 to 20,000 each year. Several useful brochures, such as Radon Reduction Methods: A Homeowners Guide, and A Citizen's Guide to Radon; What It Is and What To Do About It. have been produced by EPA. EPA is continuing to work on the radon problem with the goal that indoor air be as free from radon as outside air. On October 5 of this year, Congress passed the Indoor Radon Abatement Act which provides more than $40 million in funds over the next three years to establish state radon programs, regional training centers, and to fund a study of radon in schools and Federal buildings. For Further Reading A Citizen's Guide to Radon: What It Is and What To Do About It. Washington: Office of Air and Radiation, U.S. EPA, 1986. OPA-86- 004. 13 ------- NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 1988 Directory of State Indoor Air Contacts. Washington: Office of Air & Radiation, Office of Research & Development, USEPA, 1988. EPA/400/1-88/003 Environmental Progress and Challenges: EPA's Update. Washington:Office of Policy and Planning, USEPA, 1988. EPA-230-07-88-033. p. 35. The Inside Story; A Guide to Indoor Air Quality. Washington, : USEPA, 1988. EPA/400/1-88/004 Radon Reduction in New Construction: An Interim Guide. Washington, DC : Offices of Air and Radiation and Research and Development, 1987. OPA-87-009. Radon Reduction Methods: A Homeowner's Guide. 2nd edition. Washington, DC : USEPA, 1987. OPA-87-010. Ridley, Scott. The State of the States. Washington, DC : Renew America, 1988. p. 224. Smith, James V., Jr. "Radon: The Silent Killer in Your House," American Legion. Vol. 124, No. 2. Feb. 1988. p. 20. WHAT'S HAPPENING Here's a selection of conferences which might be of interest. For more information on these conferences contact Dozina Taylor, 382-5922. FIELD EVALUATIONS OF MUNICIPAL WASTEWATER TREATMENT TECHNOLOGIES. Jan. 12-13, 1989, The Palmer House, Chicago, Illinois. This seminar will be of major benefit to those involved in the design, evaluation and/or approval of municipal wastewater systems and will be especially beneficial to those interested in innovative and alternative technology and applications. Contact Ms. Karen Natsios, Risk Reduction Engineering Laboratory, USEPA, at (617) 648-7870. MANAGEMENT OF HAZARDOUS MATERIALS AND HAZARDOUS WASTES. Jan. 30-Feb. 3, 1989, Imperial House Hotel, Findlay, Ohio. This short course provides an objective and comprehensive look into the hazardous waste industry. Geared toward technical and professional people in industry, it can also benefit ground water consultants and environmental regulators. Send registration form to: Management of Hazardous Materials Course/ National Well Water Association, Box 182039, Dept. 017, Columbus, Ohio 43218, Or call (614) 761-1711. 14 ------- NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 1988 PROJECT MANAGEMENT FOR MULTIPLE PROJECTS. Jan. 23-25, 1989, Rossliyn Westpark Hotel, Arlington, VA. For individuals responsible for multiple projects and those who work in a multiple project environment. This seminar presents basic project management principles, ie: importance of staff, and monitoring and control techniques. Mail registration form to: The Institute for Professional Education, 1515 North Court House Rd, Suite 303, Arlington, Virginia 22201. SAFETY AT HAZARDOUS MATERIAL SITES: A HANDS-ON WORKSHOP. Jan. 30-Feb.3, 1989, Mid-Florida Tech Training Academy, Orlando Florida. In addition to courses on hazardous materials recognition, sampling techniques, and others, there will be outdoor field exercises in various levels of protective clothing. Mail registration form to: Safety Workshop/ National Well Water Association/ Box 182039/ Dept. 017/ Columbus, Ohio 43218, or call (614) 761-1711. SOLVING GROUND-WATER PROBLEMS WITH MODELS. Feb. 7-9, 1989, The Westin, Indianapolis, Indiana. The program will focus on the use of computer models to find working solutions to ground water problems. Mail registration form to: G.W. Problems, National Well Water Association/ Box 182039/ Dept. 017/ Columbus, Ohio 43218, or call (614) 761-1711. OVERVIEW OF ENVIRONMENTAL REGULATIONS FOR HAZARDOUS MATERIALS AND HAZARDOUS WASTES. Jan. 30-Feb. 3, 1989, Newporter Resort, Newport Beach, California. This program provides insight into the many regulations and laws in the rapidly changing hazardous materials field. Send registration form to: Institute for Applied Management and Law, Inc., 610 Newport Center Drive, Suite 10601, Newport Beach, California 92660, or call (714) 760-1700. EFFECTIVE SKILLS FOR TECHNICAL MANAGERS. Jan. 24-27, 1989, ICS Training Center at 8000 Torvers Cresient Drive, Suite 300, Vienna, VA 22180, Washington, DC. Participants will gain a working understanding of the key aspects of management... leadership, delegation, motivation and communication. Call Integrated Computer Systems (800) 421-8166. 15 ------- NOVEMBER/DECEMBER 1988 FUNDAMENTALS OF GROUND-WATER CONTAMINATION. Jan. 19-20, 1989, Cathedral Hill Hotel, San Francisco, California. This seminar provides a basic understanding of ground-water contamination to those without a formal background in the subject. Send registration form to American Ecology Services, Inc., 127 East 5th Street, New York, NY 10022, or call (212) 371-1620. ************************* HEADQUARTERS LIBRARY STAFF Head Librarian Head Reference Librarian Reference Librarian Reference Librarian Reference Librarian Reference Librarian Reference Librarian Acquisitions Librarian Interlibrary Loan Librarian Cataloging Librarian INFOTERRA/Translations Mary Hoffman Anne Twitchell Steve Hirsch Monique Currie Sheila Richard Beth Ann Kyle Athena Stone Susan Lowell Leida Torres Gretl Cox Linda Spencer Library tours and database information-Wednesday, 9:00 - 9:30 call Sheila Richard, 382-5922. Contact Nancy Langford at 475-7751 for information about the Public Information Center (PIC). ************************* 16 ------- |